LGBTQ+ Stories Belong in Your Classroom Library
This is a post from guest teacher-author John Rodney.
LGBTQ+ Stories Belong in Your Classroom Library
Each year teachers welcome new students to embark on amazing learning journeys in ELA classrooms. Teachers try as hard as they can to provide activities that engage students, introduce new skills, and create environments that are welcoming to all students.
In recent years, a question has been posed causing teachers to aim their critical eyes at their own practices, activities, and classroom environments: Is your classroom truly a place that celebrates the identities of ALL your students?
Teachers want to do what is best for all of their students, so they are reflecting more closely on what is going on in their own classrooms. They are
looking at the literature shared.
looking at the physical and culture created.
looking at the classroom library books offered.
looking at the materials prepared.
looking at the practices implemented.
Amazing teachers are thoughtfully reflecting on the question and readying themselves to take action to improve the validation of their LGBTQ+ students’ identities in their classrooms, and I’m here with your first step. There are so many ways to increase LGBTQ+ inclusivity in schools; however, I would like to provide a few steps that focus on one of the most treasured spaces in an ELA classroom: the classroom library.
When I speak to teachers about the diversity in a classroom library, they fall into two camps: ones that have LGBTQ+ books available to students and those that don’t. If you fall into the first camp, the following list is going to help you get started. If you are a person who already has LGBTQ+ books in the classroom, the list is going to help you be more conscious of the types of LGBTQ+ books you’re providing your students.
Let’s get started!
Guest blogger John Rodney shows us just one of many books to consider adding to your classroom library.
Step #1: Find books that include LGBTQ+ protagonists.
Perform a quick audit of your classroom library. If you were to randomly take 20 books off the shelf, how many of the protagonists would be members of the LGBTQ+ community? Often times, if there is an LGBTQ+ person in a story they are tokenized and used as a sidekick. Each year I commit to buying a certain number of books featuring LGBTQ+ protagonists to add to my classroom library. A diverse library doesn’t happen by accident. You must plan for it. Start researching middle grade and young adult lists that feature LGBTQ+ protagonists, read the synopses, and purchase ones for your students read and enjoy. Revisit these lists regularly for new additions.
#2: Find narratives with LGBTQ+ characters that are plot diverse, not just ones about LGBTQ+ trauma.
There are so many stories to be shared in the LGBTQ+ community. Stocking bookshelves with one type of narrative does not support LGBTQ+ students and non-LGBTQ+ students who are looking to learn about the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. Traditionally, stories of LGBTQ+ young adults are ones where they struggle to be their authentic selves, fear lack of acceptance of family and friends, and struggle with finding where they belong in the world. These are often stories of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual trauma.
While having some of these stories are important, having them be the only story shared on your shelves is dangerous as children come to attempt to understand who they are. LGBTQ+ protagonists deserve to fall in love, play sports, save the world, have loving families, etc. When doing your research of books featuring LGBTQ+ characters, find stories that will fill the hearts of LGBTQ+ readers and bring smiles to their faces.
#3: Find LGBTQ+ characters across all genres.
LGBTQ+ characters should be able to see this part of their identity across all genres.
They should be in faraway galaxies saving the universe.
They should be trying escape the ghosts in a haunted house.
They should be traveling back into time to keep the timeline intact.
They should have magical powers that are yielded to defeat villains.
They should be falling in love without issues of identity.
They should be helping their best friend win contests.
They should be on the courts or fields sinking the winning basket or throwing the game-winning touchdown.
They should be solving the mystery of who stole their best friend’s bike.
LGBTQ+ students should see their interests mirrored through the books we offer them in our classrooms and non-LGBTQ+ students should see LGBTQ+ characters normalized being present across genres.
#4: Find books that share the stories of all the letters of the LGBTQ+ community.
If you look at what LGBTQ+ middle grade and young adult literature is readily available for purchase, the narratives heavily center stories of young, cisgender gay males. Teachers need to offer these stories; however, they should deliberately seek out stories that share the experiences of young people who identify as queer, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, gender fluid, intersex, asexual, and questioning too. Every reader deserves to see themselves in a piece of literature.
#5: Find books that share the stories of intersecting identities.
Not only does middle grade and young adult literature center the young, cisgender gay male experience, but it also centers the Christian, white experience. It is so important for students to see that LGBTQ+ experiences span religion and skin colors. A young person can be a lesbian Muslim. A young person can be a non-binary Black person. A young person can be Asian and trans. An Indigenous person can be a bisexual young person. Teachers should seek out these middle grade and young adult stories which share the intersection of these identities. There’s no one LGBTQ+ story or experience. The more stories and experiences that can be shared, the better for all the student in the classroom.
Bonus Step (but an important one): Find books that don’t reinforce the binary/limits of gender or gender expression.
In middle and high school as students seek to explore what it means to be a young person; students often retreat into the strict ideas of girl and boy or masculine and feminine. For people who do not fall into this either or, it can be difficult to feel a sense of belonging. Find stories that feature protagonists that do not fall into these stereotypical/traditional behaviors of masculine and feminine. Find that protagonist that is unabashedly themselves in whatever gender expression they may exhibit who are leading awesome lives and kicking butt.
Building a classroom library that includes inclusive LGBTQ+ narratives will take time; however, these steps will get you started! If you are looking for a place to get started, check out the following link which has a variety of LGBTQ+ middle grade and YA stories for you to consider adding to your ELA classroom shelves.
Ready for the next step?
Click over here to read John’s next blog post that shows you HOW to get all of the great new books in your library actually into the hands of students that need to and want to read them…
Check out some LGBTQ+ books to add to your classroom library.
The following are affiliate links from which the author will earn a small commission from your purchase
LGBTQ+ Children's Books: https://a.co/1HIU1lm
LGBTQ+ Middle Grade Books: https://a.co/geHRTkV
LGBTQ+ Young Adult Books: https://a.co/4GeELKK
MEET OUR GUEST CONTRIBUTOR:
John Rodney has been a secondary English educator for the past 15 years at both the middle and high school levels in Southern California. For inclusive practices, relatable experiences, classroom tips, and good laughs follow him on Instagram at @teachertoteacher, TikTok at @teachertoteacher, and Twitter at john_j_rodney. He would love to connect with you.
